Projector tilt adjustment



July 12, 1960 v w. BTPESTER 2,944,776

- PROJECTOR TILT ADJUSTMENT Filed March 22, 195e sheets-sheet 1 I Y/////////! Affi/n".

BY v w+@ f ATTORNEYS July l2, 1960 w. B. vPEs-HER PROJECTOR TILT ADJUSTMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 22, 1956 nism.

ited rates latenti mesne assignments, to Sylvania Electric Productslnc.,A

Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 2'2, 1956, Ser. No. 573,293

1o claims. (c1. 24e-11)V This invention relates to picture projectors and pary,ticula'rly improved mechanism for determining and maintaining the angle of tilt of projection for accurately locating the projected pictureupon a screen or the like.v

Theinvention comprises in its preferred embodiment a novel mechanism for simultaneously adjusting two fronty corner posts of'a projector'support by simultaneously'releasing holding meansfor thetwo posts and'permitting gravity control of the positionof '.theuposts.asthme-'pro-y ljector is' tilted from the' table on vwhichfis is placed andA for maintaining any given adjustment.A

lt-V is therefore-the' major objectlofYV the inventiony to pro-L vide anovel projector elevator. or tilt adjustmentmecha-- l nismcwhich does not embody.the'usual leveling ls'crs'rews Vand which is easily and speedily operated to' effect and'U hold the'desired adjustment.` f' iY :i: .Y

`v:A further Vobject of the inventionis-to-provide a novel, y projector elevator device ,vi/herein.A two vertically disposed Y front postsv are held in adjusted position by 'spring locking j means which are simultaneously released when adjustment of the tilt of the projector is desired. j

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' jector and a lower compartment 20 which contains essen-- tially the cooling fan, elevator mechanism and the electrical switch and connections. In compartment 15 are located the reilector 16, projection lamp 17, condenser lens assembly 18, slide carrier 19 and the objective lens tube A 21 which is adjustable long the optical axis of the projection system and maintained in that adjustment by coaction of a spiral groove 22 on the lens tube and a spring detent 23 upstanding from the plate 14. A spring beam 24 Which is secured intermediate its ends to plate 14 as by rivet 25 bears upon the lens tube laterally and maintains it against lateral looseness. f

In bottom compartment the cooling motor and fan assembly 26 are suspended by means of a bracket 27 from the plate 14 and adapted to direct vcooling air up through said suitable holes in plate 14 foi cooling the lamp, lenses l and the slide in'carrier 19.

formed with apertures 33 through whichflooselyV extend thethreaded legs 34 ofthe front corner posts'35 which are formed at'their lower ends 'with rubber feet Y3 6 thatare A further object of the invention is to provide a novelV 'j elevator adjustment for a picture projector or the like f wherein a vertically slidable support post passes through an aperture in an inclined spring locking plate which maintains selected'vertical positions of the post and Wherein the post is released foraxial displacement where said plate is deflected toward the horizontal.

Y YFurther objects of the invention residein the details` of the aforementioned adjusting'mechanism recited in the claims herein. i

Further'objects of the invention will also appear asfy the description proceeds in connection with the appended claims and the anneXeddrawings wherein:

Figure-i1 is a side elevationkmainly-,insection showingk ajprojectorof the type to which tilt; adjustmentmechaejnism `of a preferred embodiment. of the? invention was appl.ed;'l x

Figure 2 is a top plan'view of the tilt adjustment vmechanis'rn with` the portions 'ofthe projector housing r'that nor' nially cover it being omitted to show details of construcuom, Y

"Figure 3 is `a fragmentary view looking upat 'theV bot# torn of the front end ofthe projector of Figure l; y

Figure 4 is a front :elevation partiallybroken away V'to further show. the tilt adjustmentmechanism;

f projects forwardly a lens tube support 13.. The casing" is divided by a generally horizontal plate 14 Vintoan upper compartment 15 Vwhichfountains. the opticsjoffrthe pro-u vvv'Ihe bottom Vof the projector is covered by a tray-likev member 28 suitablysecuredto casing 11. Member 28 vis reticulated at the portion 29 on its, bottom below the fan Vassembly and is provided with an aperture '30 at itsfront end below the lens tube. At its rear end, the bottom o'frmemb'er 28 has affixed thereto two rear legs 31"which are essentiallylrubberfeetfof tlzle same size suitably se#v incapable ofadjustment and fare located .essentially at the opposite rearcorners'of the tray 28. i .'Ifrray hasA Asshown'in. Figure 3 at the opposite front 'cornersof the bottom of tray 28 are provided integral tabs 31- 'of the same size as thosecomprising the rear leg's31 so f that when the front posts 35 are in their completely retracted position shown in Figures l and 4 and the .pro-Y ject'or is on a'flat surface the optical axis is parallel to that surface. Tabs 31 thus limit upward displacement of posts 35. In Figure 3 one of the posts is shown in position l andthe other is removed to show the hole 33. V

tReferring to Figure 1 it will be noted that the upper frontY casing wall 37 is located just rearwardlyr of the.` lower front Wall 38, there being a shoulder between them transversely'slotted at 40. The tilt adjustment mecha# extendingthrough tabsV 31 and threaded into forwardly bent `right angle tabs, 42 which overlie tray tabs Y31 and are secured theretoytightlyby the'screws 41 as show'nfin lFig-` uro 3. `Near its upper end 'thewally of the' plate 39 may be'interlock'ed With'plate14 as at43 so that it helps to support 'they forward .en'd'of plate i114 in the `assembly and l isprovidedwith'rearwardly bent tabs 44 through which entendv bolts 45k to secure it to casingrportions. In any event lplate 39"`is rigid and"perpendicu`lar vwithrrespeet to v the Aopticalraxis of theassembly.

""As shown best-in Figures 4 and 5 plate 39 is"-cut out at its lower portion centrally thereofV and bent forward at right angles to provide a rigid support jtab 46 which.Y terminates just short of theupright tray wall 32. Se-

' cured toy tab `46 Vasnby a pair of/bolt assemblies 4 7 is the horizontal straight middle portion of a stiff strip of spring metal 48 which at opposite ends is formed with angularly 'Y Yupwardlyinclined portions 4 9 disposed at about 45 to the horizontal each of ywhich circularly is apertured Y at` 51 to permit the passage of the leg 34 of one of the front corner posts. It will be noted that both of the front c'or'- ,river-,postV legs 34 are serrated as bya nehelical surface`r Ythread .cut or otherwisesurfajce roughened -Wheufthe up- E` :warmt/:indientSpringarms,491m.inth

Patented July 12, 17960 formed position shown in Figure 4 the dimension of the apertures 51 relative to the diameter of the posts 54 is such that legs 34 are gripped thereby and held against axial movement.Y Tabs 42 are formed with apertures 50 above apertures 33 in the tray tabs to allow free vertical sliding of the post legs therethrough during adjustment.

A device is now provided for simultaneously bending both spring arms 49 downwardly to loosen the edge grip of apertures 51 for eifecting'simultaneous release of thc legs 34 of the front corner ports to free them for vertical movement. This `device comprises a vertically slidable assembly having -a transverse release bar 52 which as shown in Figure 2 has its opposite ends bent back at right angle to provide arms 53 disposed above the outer ends of the spring arms 49. The central portion of release bar 52 is adjustably secured by means of a screw and slot `assembly indicated at 54, 55 to an upright stiff sheet metal plate 56 which as shown in Figure 5 has its upper end bent over rearwardly at right angles to form a ledge S7. At its lower end plate 56 is formed with a rectangular cut out portion 58 having parallel vertical edges 59'which as shown in Figure 6 fit slidably in-to shallow parallel edge slots 6l formed in the part of tab 46 that projects forwardly beyond the spring 48.

Ledge 57 supports two rigid posts 62 that are fixed at their upper ends to a horizontal handle bar d3 corrugated at itstop at o4 and having a dat front'guiderface p65 adapted to bear slidinglyv against the flat'vertical front faceiofslot titi.Y As shown inFigure 4 the casing slot 46 is formed with parallel vertical Vlatend guide surfaces167 which are in sliding contact with the 4fiat vertical ended of the handle bar 63 in the assembly. Thus when thetrip device is to be mounted in the casing it is simply dropped by gravity through the slot 46 with plate 56 positioned and vertically slidable on the horizontal rigid tab 4d byY means of its interlock with the slots 6i untilarms 53 engage spring arms 49. The entire device thus rests most of its weight on the outer ends of the arms 49 but this is not enough to bend those arms. The trip device is prevented from tilting yforwardly or rearwardlyl by engagement with the slot sides.

In operation when it is desired to elevate the front end of the projector from the position shown in `Figure l, which is its lowermost position wherein all four legs front and rear of the projector are of the same length below the tray 2S and therefore the projector is on a horizontal axis, the operator merely depresses the handle bar 63 by pushing downwardly on the Vsurface 64 and Vthis force is transmitted through the plate 56 and the release bar arms 53 to bend down the outer ends of the arms 49 toward the horizontal until they assume a position where the edges of the openings l no longer grip the serrated surfaces of the legs 34. When theselegs 3d are thus released and the'front 'end of the projector casing s raised away t from the table the posts 35 displace downwardly freely through the holes Strand 33, maintaining engagement with the table surface ld. When the correct elevation of the front end of the projector is reached, which the opera-VV tor can notice by noting the position of the picture projected on the screen, he merely releases thehandle bar 63 and the spring arms 49 are of sudicient strength to irnmediately move the entire trip device back upwardly to its original position shown in Figure 5 and in doing so they relock openings 5l with the serrated legs 34 of the front posts andthereby maintain the adjustment.

When it is desired yto lower the projector, the spring arms 49 are disengaged from he post legs in the same manner and the projector body is simply pushed down toward the table and released only when the bottom of the tray contacts the top of the feet 36 which means that the projector is horizontal.

' post being formed at its lower endlto rest on a :table or.-

disengaged from the projector body. This projection 70 also serves as a limit to the amount that the projector isV tilted because in some projectors too much tilt may short circuit the filament of the projection lamp.

While the invention has been described in its preferred embodiment as a Vsimultaneous release for two corner posts of a projector assembly, it will be appreciated that the principles Vof the invention as set out in the broader claims are applicable to projectors of the type which use a three cornered support and where a single adjustable post of the type of 35 in the assembly is mounted at the center portion of the front end of the base and would be operated by a slidable trip device acting on an upright spring holding spring arm just as in the above-described embodiment.

This invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

l. ln a tilt adjustment for a picture vprojector or the like, a support on which the optical system of the projector is mounted, a front post slidably mounted for vertical displacement on and with lrespect to said support,'rsaid like platform, a normally inclined spring lockY arm mounted on said support apertured torperrnit passage of said post and biased'to normally grip said post with the apertureY edges to prevent said'displacement, said spring lock arm being a bendable spring beam havingV one end secured upon said support, and movable control means on said support operable for engaging and'bending said spring lock arm until its aperture edges .no longer grip the post to permit Vertical displacement of said post to obtain a desired tilt position of said support, said spring lock arm returning to its normal inclined post locking position to maintain said support tilted when said ,means is released.

2. In the tilt adjustment dened in claim 1, there being two front posts slidably mounted on vsaid support at opposite front corners thereof and an inclined spring lock arm on said support associatedrwith each post, and

wherein said movable control means simultaneously bends each spring lock arm.

3. ln the tilt adjustmentdened rin claim l; said post being surface roughened along its length Where it passes through the apertured springy arm, to increase the grip ping action ofgsaid arm on said port. Y. v

4. In an elevation device'for adjustably tilting theffront end of a Vpicture projector-,having a casing on which optical elements of the projector are mounted, 'a front post having a platform 'contacting foot at its lower end and a vertical legV extending freely through an opening in, the bottom of theV casing, an inclined,V stiff'spring arm xed at oney end within the casingrand having an aperture whose edges are adapted to grip and lockthe leg of the post in its normal inclined position, and a tnippingV cvice slidably mounted on the easing adapted to engage the outer end of spring arm to bend the arm toward a horizontal Vposition to align the aperture with the axis of the post'leg sufficiently to free it from locking engagement theewith whereby free vertical movement of the post leg with respect to the casing is permitted while the spring arm is so deected.

5. ln a picture projector assembly wherein the optical i Y L,elements are mounted on a support and two spaced front corner posts are mounted for. free vertical sliding move-j Vf l ont the same angle tothe .horizontal each fixed at one end4 said arms, and a release deviceV slidably mounted on the' support to simultaneously contact and depress the outer ends of said -arms to release s-aid posts for free yvertical sliding with respect to the support in the assembly.

6. In an elevator device for effecting tilt adjustment in a picture projector or the like, a support for the optical elements of said projector, two posts vertically slidably mounted on said support, means on said support mounting two oppositely inclined spring plates 4at substantially the same level, said plates being apertured to pass said posts with the aperture edgesV gripping said posts tonormally lock them against axial displacement and Va t1ipping device vertically slidably mounted on said support and having spaced rigid arms adapted to contact the re spective spring plates for deecting them to non-locking position with respect to said posts when said device is depressed by the operatonsaid spring plates being suiiiciently strong to return said tripping device back to original position and relock with said posts when said tripping device is released by the operator.

7. In an elevator device for a picture projector or the like, a support on which the optical elements of the projector are mounted, a rigid upright member on said support, oppositely inclined laterally extending apertured said support passing through said spring arms in locking engagement with the aperature edges and a release'device slidable vertically on said member and having rigid' y arms for engaging the respective spring arms, said dej Y' vice when depressed by the operator effecting simultaneous Kleection of said spring arms to unlock said vposts foi vertical displacement. f .y 8. In the elevator device defined in claim 7, said up right member having a rigid forwardly projecting tab,

and said spring arms comprising the opposite upwardly bent ends of a strip of stili? spring metal vfixed intermediate its ends on said tab.

9. In the elevator device defined in claim 7, s-aid upright member having a forwardly projecting rigid tab on which said spr-ing arms are mounted and with which said release device is slidably connected.

10. In the elevator device defined in claim 7, said support comprising a cas-ing having an upwardly open slot at its front end, and said release device being disposed with its upper end accessible in said slot for actuation by the operator.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,190,664 Meleady July 11, 1916 2,302,134 McNabb Nov. 117, 1942 '2,407,837 Kissel Sept. 17, 1946 2,449,424 Stieber Sept. 14, 1948 2,793,563 Koskelay May 28,v 1957 2,809,553 Van DenfBroek Oct. 15, 1957 

